vulture

noun

vul·​ture ˈvəl-chər 

1

: any of various large birds (families Accipitridae and Cathartidae) that are related to the hawks, eagles, and falcons but have weaker claws and the head usually naked and that subsist chiefly or entirely on carrion

2

: a rapacious or predatory person

vulturish

ˈvəl-chə-rish 

adjective

Synonyms of vulture

• predator
• vampire

Examples of vulture in a Sentence

As soon as they learned of his arrest, the media vultures started circling.

noted that the paparazzi are vultures who could not exist without the connivance of the tabloid-buying public

Recent Examples on the Web

Overhead, vultures, crows and gulls swarmed, feeding on carcasses and insects and other waste. —CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026

In one especially rare case, a vulture hatched from an egg that was brought into the center. —Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2026

Threatened with extinction, the Los Angeles Zoo is raising several cape vulture chicks to make sure these birds thrive. —Staff Report, Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026

On the other hand, in such a blighted landscape, AI could, perhaps, come not as a vulture to pick over the remains but a new life force to resuscitate them. —Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 30 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English vultur, from Anglo-French, from Latin

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing vulture

• bearded vulture
• turkey vulture
• vulture capitalism

Rhymes for vulture

• culture
• kultur
• agriculture
• apiculture
• aquaculture
• counterculture
• floriculture
• horticulture
• mariculture
• monoculture
• sericulture
• silviculture

Kids Definition

vulture

noun

vul·​ture ˈvəl-chər 

1

: any of various large birds that feed mostly on animals found dead and that are related to the hawks and eagles but have weaker claws and the head usually naked

2

: a greedy or predatory person